I didn’t expect my stress levels to go down in France – in fact, I was sure that they would increase until I was unable to function, much less speak in French. Thankfully, I can still function and even speak some French. However, I am stressed. How could I not be as an American in a French city, attending a French university while also taking courses at the Dickinson Center, living with a French family, and trying to make friends? That isn’t to say that my experience isn’t good. On the contrary, it’s very good. And I did not expect that. Even though I am stressed and rather in a state of discomfort, I am having a good time in Toulouse. I’m content. I find that my stress in France is not the same as my stress in the US. I don’t have a concrete reason for this, but I think that my approach to stress is different here. I see my stress as a necessary step in my French integration. Stress is inevitable when one lives in a foreign place, and it isn’t always bad. While studying abroad, it is necessary to follow one’s own path, even if stressed or uncomfortable, because, in the end, the stress itself is not important. The experiences, good or bad, are important. I am going to remember our visit to the Soulages Museum and the moment when I first tried rabbit at my host’s house more than I will remember my stress or discomfort. If I could have given myself some advice before coming to France (even if it is cliché), I would have said that I shouldn’t worry. I believe that we can’t really prepare ourselves to spend time in another country. It is an experience that is completely new and unknown. Therefore, we must embrace it and go with the flow. That’s what I’m going to do from now on, and I have high hopes!
-Schuyler Atkins